4 Coffee Health Benefits

For many, coffee has become a daily–and sometimes nightly ritual to prepare ourselves for the day ahead. Besides becoming a way of life, coffee can also improve your health.

Due to its stimulating nature, which can act on certain neurotransmitters, coffee is proving to be the key to a healthy life. So, the next time you’re ordering your favorite cup of java, keep in mind some of the following health benefits.

1. Diabetes

You may be surprised to know that drinking coffee may actually reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, which has increased dramatically recently. When you drink a cup of coffee, the caffeine increases the number of plasma levels in the protein called globulin.

This binds to sex hormones–testosterone and estrogen. Since sex hormones have been linked to type 2 diabetes, anything that controls them could help reduce the risk of developing this type of diabetes at some point in your life. Studies have shown that drinking more than one cup of coffee a day for four days reduced the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 11%.

2. Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson’s is a disorder that largely centers around the neurons in the brain that produce dopamine. Those who suffer from Parkinson’s usually develop tremors, among other symptoms, as the disease progresses. While the disease itself is not fatal, it can sometimes cause complications which can then lead to death.

One of the health benefits of coffee, it seems, is that it might actually reduce the risk of developing Parkinson’s Disease. Researchers found that those who drank more coffee were less likely to develop Parkinson’s disease. For those already suffering from Parkinson’s, coffee may actually help reduce some of the symptoms, in particular, tremors and sharp movements.

3. Liver Cancer

Any type of cancer is worrying, but liver cancer can sometimes be one of the most dangerous forms of cancer. With symptoms like upper abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, abdominal swelling, yellow discoloration of the skin and eyes, and white and chalky stools, it can be quite the unpleasant experience.

Remarkably, there seems to be a potential health benefit of coffee that reduces the risk of developing liver cancer. For those who drink coffee regularly, researchers found that it reduces the risk of liver cancer by 40%. For those who drank three cups a day, then the risk decreased by a staggering 50%. Considering how serious cancer can be, adding another cup of coffee to your day doesn’t sound like too terrible a method for prevention.

4. Liver Disease

Primary Sclerosing cholangitis, commonly called PSC, is a condition in which bile that is located inside and outside of the liver becomes inflamed. When this occurs, the ducts the bile travels through becomes blocked and can end up damaging the liver. This is a condition that actually may be helped by drinking coffee. In fact, many of the health benefits of coffee seem to aid the liver. In regards to PSC, drinking coffee reduces the risk of the condition occurring.

For alcoholics, consuming coffee may actually help decrease the potential of their liver developing cirrhosis in life. In fact, drinking two or more cups of coffee could reduce the risk by 66%. It isn’t entirely clear what ingredient in coffee is responsible for protecting the liver, however, as these results were also found in decaf coffee, thus ruling out that it is the ingredient of caffeine.

A Cup A Day Keeps The Doctor Away

While there still needs to be a lot of scientific research performed, the studies are clearly showing a positive relationship between coffee and health. It may not be the fountain of youth, but it could very well be the difference between developing a potentially life-altering disease or condition and living a healthy and full life. Regardless, a medicinal beverage has never tasted quite so delicious!